Homemade chicken nuggets are much healthier and tastier than the frozen versions you find at the store. They are also super easy to make. Serve as part of a picnic or as a delightful bight on its own, perhaps with a glass of 2020 Leopard’s Leap Chenin Blanc!
Ingredients
- 1.3kg Free-range chicken, whole
- 2 Tblsp Olive oil
- 1 tsp Sea salt
- 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly cracked
- 2 Lemons, juice and zest
- 1 tsp Paprika
- 90g Butter
- 90g Cake flour
- 3 Bay leaves
- 250ml Full cream milk
- Cake flour
- 4 Eggs, whisked
- 400g Breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Place the whole free-range chicken on the roasting tray.
- Sprinkle over the sea salt, freshly cracked black pepper, paprika, lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil and rub it in.
- Place the roasting tray in the preheated oven and roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 10 minutes.
- Once the free-range chicken is cool enough to handle, pick off all the meat from the bones and place aside in a mixing bowl until needed.
- Discard the bones and the skin of the chicken.
- Prepare the Béchamel – it will serve as the binding agent of the nuggets.
- Warm the milk in a separate saucepan or in the microwave until warm to the touch and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat, but do not let it brown.
- Add the flour and stir it quickly into the butter with a wooden spoon.
- Cook and stir the flour-butter mixture about 5 to 8 minutes.
- While whisking add the warm milk in a steady stream.
- Whisk continuously until the Béchamel is smooth and thick.
- Pour the Béchamel over the pulled free-range chicken meat and mix well, adjust seasoning if needed.
- Place the mixture in the fridge to cool down.
- Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, use a tablespoon to scoop up the chicken and form nugget shapes.
- Toss the nuggets gently in the extra cake flour, then the whisked eggs and lastly in the breadcrumbs, ensure that all of the nuggets are evenly coated.
- Deep-fry until golden brown and place on kitchen towels to drain the excess oil.